You think its bad for PAT now, it's about to get A LOT WORSE! (Philadelphia: appointed, how much)

[Blackbeauty212]

Alarm raised anew on Port Authority deficit

It's like we all see the cliff coming and still are driving straight for it at 80 MPH..

Even if you do not use Public Transit, this will be a major hit to the Regions Economy and Vitality...

All this talk about making downtown more vital will be meaningless if PAT needs to cut again.

[BrianTH]

All PAT could do was buy some time for our newly-elected state officials to change course and decide not to gut transit in Pennsylvania after all. The good news, if you want to call it that, is that this won't just be a crisis for PAT at that point--SEPTA and other transit authorities will also have to start making painful cuts. For that matter, road projects will have to be cut all over the state. So maybe all that will create enough political pressure on Corbett and his allies such that they give up their Tea-Party/Norquistian ways and start doing what is right for the state by providing dedicated new revenues to the transportation funds.

Or not, in which case it will get very ugly, until we get a new state government.

[SlurmsMcKenzie]

I think I need break out the bike and get into cycling shape. I prefer not to commute into town via bike but may not have much of a choice. It has already become somewhat of a bad joke.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Health care, at $69.8 million, will swallow nearly a fifth of the coming year's budget

Seems to always come down to health care. We need to find a way to cut the cost of health care in this country or everyone will suffer in more ways than just their health and wallet.

[BrianTH]

By the way, those ridership dropoffs are not quite as bad as I feared, particularly in May. I think it is reasonable to hypothesize that the spike in gas prices has prevented some switching that would otherwise have occurred. But of course that just leaves people in the metro caught between a hammer (defunded public transit) and an anvil (increased gas prices).

But of course oil and gas companies are doing great. So Nero fiddles while Rome burns.

[Blackbeauty212]

It would just be a shame to see Pittsburgh lose all the progress it has made to become younger and more progressive, wiped out by a bunch of A**HOLE politicians....Who still live in the Old Whites Boys Club ways of governing..

My dream is that one day, Pittsburgh will force out these type of local politicians and get new fresh blood in those seats, politicians who's focus and visions are one with progressing Pittsburgh forward.

As for PA, we need for Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to get more clout in the state, its insane how much political leverage Rural PA has in Harrisburg, so much so that all a politician need to do is vilify the big cities and they're a shoe in to win.

[squarian]

...in hopes that a commission appointed by the new governor, Tom Corbett, solves a statewide transportation funding crisis that is affecting transit agencies

Read more: Alarm raised anew on Port Authority deficit


The Frackigistes sent the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission on a suicide mission - it carries a sealed message containing the words "Slay the bearers of this letter, signed, T. Corbett".

At some point, the transportation crisis in PA will become so dire, so unbearable, so desperately unendurable, that the Gen Ass and Guvn'r are forced to square up to it. But first, the Shalicrats will have to be leave office - probably due to old age or scandal, since they're not likely to be outvoted. In other words, I have every confidence in state politicians reaching a comprehensive and lasting solution to Pennsylvania's transportation problems by 2048 or so.

In the meantime, anyone who can't afford a car might want to start saving for a good stout pair of walking boots. Maybe Shaler Tom will set up a Shoe-leather Advisory Commission.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

My dream is that one day, Pittsburgh will force out these type of local politicians and get new fresh blood in those seats, politicians who's focus and visions are one with progressing Pittsburgh forward.

As usual, why are you blaming local politicians? It is the state politicians who are defunding public transit. If the state gave the City and County control of transportation policy within their jurisdictions, I guarantee you it would be a very, very different situation.

As for PA, we need for Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to get more clout in the state, its insane how much political leverage Rural PA has in Harrisburg, so much so that all a politician need to do is vilify the big cities and they're a shoe in to win.

More than half of the population lives in the Pittsburgh and Philly metros combined. So the key political battleground is the nominally moderate folks in the suburbs of the Pittsburgh and Philly metros who gave Corbett the votes he needed to win. They need to understand that the once-moderate and sensible Republican Party in PA has been taken over by radicals who are trying to systematically loot the large metros, and regardless of whether those suburbanites personally use public transit, public education, or so on, it is in their best interests as citizens of the large metros to join together and oppose these forces.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by squarian

...in hopes that a commission appointed by the new governor, Tom Corbett, solves a statewide transportation funding crisis that is affecting transit agencies

If you want to be depressed, read this:

Transportation Commission working toward suggestions - witf.org

We've got a $3 billion transportation funding gap, but because of Corbett's insane opposition to increasing revenues, the Commission is looking at cost-saving measures like eliminating license plate stickers and extending the renewal period for driver's licenses.

Now as for the other $2.999 billion . . . .

[squarian]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

the once-moderate and sensible Republican Party in PA has been taken over by radicals

Not entirely radical - some are merely cynical.

regardless of whether those suburbanites personally use public transit, public education, or so on, it is in their best interests as citizens of the large metros to join together and oppose these forces.

I cast a Lvl 5 "Summon hempfield_mania" spell and use all my remaining manna points.